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2.06.2013

What do tomatoes, mustard, and bananas have in common?

They say your taste buds change every 7 years. I've never actually researched that and in this moment of typing, I'm feeling way too lazy to open a new window and research it now. But based on my personal experiences, I'm pretty sure it's true.

Out of all the changes our bodies go through from the time we're born, our changing tastes is something we really pay attention to. It's something we talk about all the time, for some reason. Favorite foods and hated foods are some of the first things we share when we are getting to know someone. I don't know why that is, but it doesn't change the fact that I like to talk about it to.

Growing up, I was a very picky eater. No matter where we went for lunch or dinner, I'd order a grilled cheese or chicken fingers. That was it. I did not like sweet tea (which is an abomination in the south), I hated spaghetti sauce and ate my noodles with just butter and parmesan cheese, I wouldn't go near a sandwich with meat on it because I basically like nothing else you might put on that sandwich - I stuck to PB&J or butter and sugar sandwiches (yeah...I know...I have nothing to say about that).

Once I hit high school, I started venturing out of my comfort zone. I have a very distinct memory of the first time I had a sub sandwich with turkey, ham, lettuce, mayonnaise, and I'm not sure what else, from Larry's Giant Subs. A friend had one out in the foyer of the fine arts building and offered me a bite asking if I'd had a sandwich from there before. I said no, when really I meant, no, I've never had a sub sandwich before ever. It was delicious.

Since then I've only gotten better, especially since marrying JP, who will eat virtually anything put in front of him. Except mushrooms. We both draw the line at fungi. Thanks to him I've tried things a little more exotic: rock fish, escargot, hummus...these are all yummy to me now. But lately my taste buds have been doing something weird to me - I occasionally want to eat a food I don't like. Weird right? This brings me to the title of my blog - those foods are all foods I've suddenly and randomly wanted to eat.

Tomatoes: One day at Subway, the guy asked, "Lettuce and tomato?" and I said yes. Just like that. I hated tomatoes and can't remember ever having eaten one ever, and suddenly I put them on my sandwich. And it was good.

Mustard: One day I bought a sandwich for lunch at work (apparently I eat a lot of sandwiches) and as I passed the condiments, I grabbed mustard as an afterthought. I remember as a kid how disgusted I would be if I bit into my McDonald's cheeseburger and they'd put mustard on it. But this day I suddenly wanted and once again it was good.

Bananas: I really want to like bananas. I'm not good at taking in enough potassium (those nocturnal leg cramps are of the devil), plus I really love banana flavored things. And they're so easy to just grab and eat on the go. But I recently tried to eat one for breakfast and it was not good. At all. I gagged my way through it because I didn't want to be wasteful, but man...the texture is just gross. Maybe one day...

And so concludes this long rambling post about food. Since we're getting to know each other, what foods do you love and hate?

1 comment:

I hate mayonnaise, due to texture more than anything. I love anything tomato-based, but particularly pasta. I agree with the tastes-changing thing, though, because I used to hate cereal of all kinds, and now I eat at least a bowl a day.